Does anyone else try to limit themselves to one knife per run?

I know Josh was just asking about GEC and not other Brands, he didn't say there weren't other quality makers. I was brought up with Schrade and when and If I could afford a CASE I jumped on it. Like Christian mentioned, the frustration level of not being able to obtain a certain GEC model is palpable, I'm pretty sure that same frustration is felt for any knife that someone wanted but couldn't obtain.

I really don't get so emotionally involved as some others, I've seen members banned because they just couldn't let their frustration go because they didn't get the largest release. It is after all, just a knife. I have more than I'll ever use. I pretty much like all that is traditional, foreign and domestic.

I happen to feel GEC is on top of the traditional game. Negatives are hurled at GEC and all makers for many reasons, CASE, to many covers, poor f&f, not enough made in CV. Queen, poor f&f, no edge out of the box, to thick behind the so called edge.

My passion is in vintage knives but still I've moved past the point of heartbreak long ago. Another will and does (eventually) come along. As mentioned the secondary market for GEC amazes me. A lockback farm and field sold last week for $160 & change...that is AMAZING:eek:
 
I used to buy only one. However, as the traditional boom happened & certain patterns became hard to get. I decided to buy more than one of the more elusive patterns whenever possible. Not to flip them, but to trade for the knives I was unable to land.
 
OP, dont get me wrong, when I first joined I was full steam ahead and bought pretty much every GEC I could. I bought all of the 77 Washington Jacks 1st run just for one example. I became addicted to the hunt and ownership, but that's not me, and I knew it. We all have different styles here. Im good with however you enjoy the hobby. I just have to keep my individual priorities inline and often times knives take last spot.

Paul, $307 for a 81 ebony last few days :eek::D. It is fun to watch, crazy, but fun. I have several on my watch list just to see the battles. :D
 
I never buy two of the exact same pocketknife. It makes the first less special. Also diversifies your collection.

texmex03 said:
There are too many knives GEC makes that I want to buy so I keep trying to limit myself to only one knife per run so I can afford others that come up.

My preferred purchase method seems to be buy what I want then decide.... sometimes for a few months and then cull the excess (usually when something new comes out that I want).

Right now though I am having a hard time as I just picked up the last of the 3 lick creek 38s breaking my rule. But, these don't come around often like the barlows and they are so unique.

Do you guys grant yourselves exceptions?

Untitled by Josh, on Flickr
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Is Lick Creek a real place or is this just some marketing something?
 
Yes, I definitely have been known to buy more than 1 of a release if it strikes my fancy. Bought a couple of the recent 71's, will pick my favorite to use and move the other along. Sometimes one is enough. Bought a user #74. Sometimes I pass on a run or don't manage to score one at all.

BTW, great pattern to have more than 1 of. The #38's Rock and it may be a while before you see another run of those:thumbup:
 
KBA said:

Paul, $307 for a 81 ebony last few days :eek::D. It is fun to watch, crazy, but fun. I have several on my watch list just to see the battles. :D
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I watched that very same knife Brett, then there was a Whaler that went for $770.00 and change:eek::eek::eek: Its not good or bad, it just simply AMAZES me:o
 
Limit ? Leer mit? nope had to go look that up in the dictionary:D

It seems I do have limits-
I'm confounded by lack of funds.
I don't care for every model but If I could get one of every model I do desire in the handle choices I like -I would.
Many of those are not users. There's also the thrill of the "chase"
good discussion-
But Hey...
[video]https://youtu.be/_VrFV5r8cs0[/video]
 
For me I grab several because you have no idea what they will turn out like until its too late so you have to see them in your hands on new releases. On the first steel 77 barlow I just knew I had to have old red, it was the first color that get me into GEC, also figured I would try a stag because why not, but someone talked me into trying canvas micarta too. Well my old red had too much pink in it, the stag while awesome didn't match like I wanted and after all the knives I have been through the 77 2 blade canvas micarta barlow is my favorite knife to this day. Side note .... Remember how good that mistake of the 2 blade autumn bone turned out (who saw that one coming? not me).

Those are with new knives. This was my first time knowing what a knife run looked like and plunging down funds on more than one to keep and use.

I still have under 10 traditional knives, if they stay they are all users and in a perfect world could whittle it down to a solid 5. Just like to see everyone else's thought process on the subject, its fun.
 
Just getting ONE can be a major hurdle. And what with International postal costs, the weakening of the Euro, import-tax, it's a tough and sometimes wearisome scenario for me. That said, I've never been interested in 'collecting' entire runs of a knife never to use them. It rather amazes me that very often in the What are you toting thread, knives appear in absolute pristine condition day in day out. They must obviously be carried with extreme care from safe to safe during the day:D:D Others have rightly talked about some of the insane prices GEC knives are CURRENTLY fetching. It's what the market stands yes, but it's still absurd and part of a nascent GEC Cult. Such prices could all too easily drop like a stone once the sexiness of trend wears off.:rolleyes:
 
With 5 kids from 19-3, it is easy to only pick one. Twice I have bought duplicates on purpose.
The first time, @ 30 years ago. A little Parker lockback "Challenger". I carried one for years, and the other was put up in case I lost the edc. Last year, I bought my second GEC HJ 15 CC SFO to edc. I use it for food tasks mostly, occasional plug tobacco, etc. (I still have not acquired the 35 HJ, all my HJ SFO knives are ebony handled). Buy what you like when you can! Which 38 will you carry?
 
I think the same thing Will. Always wonder how people have these pristine knives they have had for months or years with the etch on the carbon steel blade still perfect. Etches on my blades are lucky to make it a few days.
 
I try to limit myself to one, but usually fail. My thought process is usually that given the secondary market I can sell or trade the version that I like least, but I almost always like them all enough to keep them.
 
texmex03 said:
I think the same thing Will. Always wonder how people have these pristine knives they have had for months or years with the etch on the carbon steel blade still perfect. Etches on my blades are lucky to make it a few days.
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Maybe they only took one photo of the knife when it was new and re-use the photo? I personally find taking pics of knives and uploading them to be a hassle, so if I take a pic at all, it's usually when the knife is new.

I have nothing against GEC, I just have enough of them already and don't want any more. They may surprise me and come up with some combination of frame, blades, steel, and cover material that I just have to have. But considering that I prefer stainless, and the few runs they do in stainless haven't interested me in recent years, means I am probably safe.
 
texmex03 said:
I think the same thing Will. Always wonder how people have these pristine knives they have had for months or years with the etch on the carbon steel blade still perfect. Etches on my blades are lucky to make it a few days.
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I can understand your views on this subject. For someone who uses their knives frequently it would seem a little odd how some knives can be carried frequently and show little to no signs of wear.

I can only speak for myself but for me personally, my knives ride in my pocket or get fondled a lot more than they get used. I'm not allowed to use my personal knives at work which is where I encounter probably 95% of my cutting tasks. We have to use a company issued utility knife that has a blade that automatically retracts after each cut. Big PIA but it's company policy and I have to abide by it.

I also carry my knives in a pocket by themselves with no other items. I don't really do that to preserve them, I just don't like fishing around for my knife in the rare event that I do need to use it. It's much easier to grab if it's the only thing in there. I also can't stand coins or keys getting lodged between the blades and liners.

So honestly, the only time I get to use my knives is outside of the workplace and my lifestyle doesn't require a lot of cutting unfortunately. It may sound strange to some folks but it's not uncommon for me to go several weeks without even having to touch up an edge. Even if I've carried the same knife that whole time.

I own a fair amount of knives, mostly traditionals, and I don't have one single knife that has been used by me alone that has enough wear on it to show up in a photo despite the fact that I've carried it frequently. Another contributing factor is that I don't use my pocket knives for food as there is usually a kitchen knife or steak knife handy when I'm eating or preparing food. It takes me a very long time to even get a patina started. I have a #14 GEC that I carried for at least two months straight and the blade still has the factory finish on it. No signs of a patina in sight.

Again, I can only speak for myself. I carry a knife because I want one there when I need it. That just doesn't happen very often outside of the workplace. Perhaps there are others like me.
 
Does anyone else try to limit themselves to one knife per run?
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Heck no. I'm the exact opposite. My pattern preferences are generally quite specific, so I skip over many GEC runs altogether. When they finally run a pattern that I truly love, I've saved up enough money to pick up a few of them.
 
Generally speaking I only buy one knife from selected GEC production runs. I have to really want the knife and that includes the Traditional Forum "knife". I don't buy just because it is available. Even at this low purchase rate, I have more GEC knives than I will ever use and I don't have any interest in "collecting".

GEC's are nice, but there are other companies to look at. I generally favor a two bladed jack knife of some sort and generally on the larger side, but I like variety.
 
I like back ups. I like bigger knives. Luckily for me the 98 is still available. Picked up the Whittler and cattle version. . Camp version is high and dry but not high on my priority list. I'm pretty new to GEC though. Case is steady production for the most part so most patterns are available in one form or another. From what I see about GEC they can be difficult to come by because of smaller runs and pre-orders seem to be a big thing.
 
I pretty much refuse to participate in pre-orders on any knife. There isn't a knife made I can't live without.

I only consciously buy spares of knives that I actively use and that generally means daily use. I do have a couple #42's and a couple Madison Barlows. Was really tempted with the #14 Lick Creek Boys knife, but I resisted. Of my purchases in the last year, that one is probably the most special to me.
 
Railsplitter said:
Again, I can only speak for myself. I carry a knife because I want one there when I need it. That just doesn't happen very often outside of the workplace. Perhaps there are others like me.
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I understand completely what you mean. I'm a university student and I rarely ever use it during week days. I love carbon steel and every time I get a new traditional (which isn't often because of my limited funds and I'm confronted with all the reasons Will mentioned above. It seems exporting stag knives from the US is even more tricky, it seem? I'm not sure, but I've read something and now it's keeping me from buying a certain knife, which is, as it just happens, a GEC :D ) I force a patina on it by shreding a few apples to peaces. I'm not a good cook and students here get a food subvention from the state, so I eat out a lot or order in. It would be weird to use my own knife in a restaurant, so I never do it. At home I also preffer using a regular knife for food although I have been usiing my #73 jack. The big spey is great for cutting pizza. I usually don't cut most of my fruits, except for some rare winter khakis or for peeling agrumes. I do always carry a traditional though. Like you said, just in case. You never know.

As for GEC, so far I only know two and one of them was a very kind gift by our Will here. GEC has made a lot of great knives in patterns that I like a lot, at least visually. But I've joined the game long after they were all gone, they're pretty much unreachable. The secondary market is too expensive for me and even if I had the money, I most likely wouldn't spend it on them. Like others said, there are other good companies as well. Concerning buying several knives of the same pattern, I can see why people do it. Due to my taste I probably wouldn't do the same. I'm not really a fan of single bladed knives, wood, sinthetics or micarta, which limits things already. :) Since I'm more a "fondler" (Rick, this is what we can call ourselves, if it's not too weird ...) than a collector, I try to get a few knives that I really like and know I will be fondling, if not using. :rolleyes:

Cheers

Žan
 
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